When Lionsgate stepped up to distributeMegalopolis, director Francis Ford Coppola’s polarizing science-fiction epic, it turned out to be a good news/bad news scenario. The good news is that the movie finally landed a distributor for its North American rollout. The bad newsis that Coppola isn’t done handing over money because the studio expects him to foot most of the bill for the film’s marketing.PerThe Hollywood Reporter, thedeal to distributeMegalopolisincludes putting the film on more than 1500 screens, which includes premium IMAX locations, but this required a $15-20 million budget for marketing, and Lionsgate did not agree to pay that portion of the costs.
It has now emerged thatCoppola is expected to pay for the marketing budget, which is certainly in line withwhat has transpired with the movieso far, since the prolific director also funded the movie to retain ownership of it. With a production budget said to be $120 million, Coppola will be spending $135-140 million of his own money to getMegalopolisout to the masses.
Megalopolis
Megalopolis, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is a visionary 2024 film exploring the ambitious dream of reconstructing New York City into a utopia, following a devastating disaster. The narrative delves into the clash between the architect’s utopian vision and the political and personal turmoil that ensues. With a star-studded cast, the film examines themes of ambition, power, and the human spirit’s resilience against the backdrop of a futuristic metropolis.
One of the biggest bones of contention for studios that otherwise may have been interested in picking upMegalopoliswas figuring out a way to market the difficult film to the masses, and more specifically a casual movie-going audience. Securing a distributor was difficult, largely in part because studios were afraid they would not see a return on their investmentfollowing the first screening of the film. After that first screening,The Hollywood Reporterspoke to a distribution veteran who said…
“I find it hard to believe any distributor would put up cash money and stay in first position to recoup the P&A (Prints & Advertising) as well as their distribution fee. If [Coppola] is willing to up the P&A or backstop the spend, I think there would be a lot more interested parties.”
Francis Ford Coppola Accused of ‘Old-School’ Behavior Megalopolis Set: ‘Was Like Watching a Train Wreck’
The filming of Megalopolis was ‘chaotic’ and it’s alleged Coppola pulled women onto his lap and kissed female extras to get them ‘in the mood.’
Even though Lionsgate has said that it’s a “true privilege to work with [Coppola],” it’s going to be an uphill battle for the studio to begin even recouping their distribution fee on the film. The initial reactions toMegalopolishave been deeply mixed, with some saying it’s a brave vision from a veteran director to others saying it’s just a colossal mess with comparisons made to the sci-fi dud,Jupiter Ascending.
Lionsgate is no doubt banking on the curiosity factor, which might entice moviegoers to sample the film when it opens in September. It also looks good for Lionsgate to be the studio thattook a chance on Coppola’s vision, making them a potential go-to studio for filmmakers that have less-than-conventional films ready for release.
In addition to directing, Coppola also wrote and producedMegalopolis, a film set in a fictional America following an accident that destroys a metropolis called New Rome. Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) is an architect with the ability to control time who wishes to rebuild the metropolis as a sustainable utopia, but he faces extreme opposition from Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who wants to maintain the status quo. The film’s stacked ensemble cast also includes Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, James Remar and Dustin Hoffman.
Megalopolisis due to hit screens on September 27. Check out the trailer below.
